The Flashback: Dr. Seuss' look : The Butter Battle Book the TV special.

The Flashback

  What is something that this blog hasn't really done in something? Yes, Dr. Seuss!  Guess it's time to rectify that.  (That and the title of the post gives it away)  This time we look at special based off the good doctor's  1984 book of the same name ,"The Butter Battle Book".    I'll get to what the book and the special  are about soon, but keep the Cold War in the back of your mind there.  In 1989, TNT (Turner Network TV)  aired this special.  November 13th ,1989, also something else important coming up, also later.   This special was animated by Ralph Bakshi (yes that one)  the narrator is Charles Durning.    This was the last special with any Seuss media made while he was still alive. (He died in 1991) 

       Let's get started.   The special starts with showing a long wide wall that seems be separating something.   A child and his grandfather are standing near the wall and the grandfather explains that they are the Yooks (pronounced Yukes ) and on the other side are the Zooks (pronounced Zukes, hey that rhymes with oh) he goes on to explain the Zooks like to eat their bread with the butter side down. (What? ) Then he explains that they Yooks eat their bread with the butter side up.  Infact, they go to bread buttering school. (What?)  Grandfather explains that Zooks must be watched in fact, his job is watch for Zooks.  Then he explains everything was going fine until a Zook named Van Itch (don't question it)   disarmed Grandfather. (which seemed to have ruined his whole day)

Keep on the butter side of life./ Copyright Turner 

    Editor's note: I am just gonna call him Grandfather , even though it's past events in the story being told by him in present since he doesn't have any name. 

       So the grandfather goes to the chief Yookaroo  who explains that the switch wasn't modern compared to their sling shots. So, a newer more modern weapon must be made and used. That being a "triple sling-jigger" (three slingshots put together on some poll thing).  Grandfather goes back to the wall and threatens the Zooks and machine scares them away.  But, the Zooks have found a new more modern weapon called,  Jigger Rock Snatchem, that will catch the rocks from the sling thing and send them back.

                                            This is why Dumbo quit/ Copyright Turner

    You know the Yooks need a even even more modern weapon. This was called the "Kick-A-Poo Kid" which looks like a gun that is propped on a dog named Daniel who is a spaniel. (that was unnecessary)  That works until guess what? It doesn't.  The Zooks created an" Eight-Nozzled Elephant-Toted Boom Blitz" it shoots cherry stone pits. Time for a even even even more more modern weapon. They made Grandfather a general and a new weapon that's a vechile called the  "Utterly Sputter". It drops blue goo.    Oh yeah, the Zooks have another weapon to stymie the Yooks weapon.
           

Mutually assured destruction /Copyright Turner 

      They need something even more more even modern as a weapon. So there's a song never heard a song for a weapon being created before.  This weapon is a bomb called  "Bitsy Big-Boy Boomeroo",which looks like a small red ball with electrical noises coming from it.  The chief tells Grandfather to drop the bomb on the Zooks while the Yooks hide underground.  The Zooks also are going underground, I wonder why. It leads up to Grandfather with the grandson as he is about to drop the bomb.  Van Itch  has the same bomb too. The grandchild wonders who will drop the bomb first and the special zooms over the Grandfather and Van Itch standing on the wall , he says "we'll see" then it cuts to saying "The End (maybe)"  or a cliff hanger. 

       more after the jump 

Weekendering: The Weekenders : Season 1 :Shoes of Destiny/ Sense and Sensitivity

The Weekenders  Disney 

   Previously, on Joshuaonline : We started our look at the Disney animated TV series, "The Weekenders" now we move on to another pair with episode 2.  

  

      [If you Want to Read the Previous Post Click Here]

             Episode 2a:  Shoes of Destiny  

                   Tino does his thing where talk to the audience this time about his friend, Carver, and his goals on being cool.  They also show us more about the characters like how Tish is interested in Shakespeare  and Tino seems to like science fiction comic books.  Carver tells his friends that he is going to be standing with the cool kids in the class picture which is impressive or something.  Carver wants to become C.A.R.P (Cool and Radically Popular). They also manage to thrown in a line where Tino says "Good thing you don't want to be Cool Rich And Popular". (Oh wow!) 

             There are two characters are called "the cool kids" who Tino explains have the ability not block out anyone who's not cool.  Carver sees shoes that he thinks will make him C.A.R.P and buys them and the cool kids apparently noticed him.  Tino imagines that Carver gets really cool and has him made into boots. (What?) 

             Tino goes to his mom for some advice and she tells him don't worry because their friendship  is strong.  The next day, Carver  tries to dress like the cool kids and they apparently like this because well of course. Meanwhile, Tish and Lor worry that Carver won't  want to be their friend anymore. Carver hangs out with the cool kids who pretty much spend their time leaning against things because that works.  They also make fun of people who are beneath them, which means they can see them ruining what was said before. (Don't you start)  Carver doesn't want to say anything mean about his friends so he lost his cool spot.   

               This episode's moral because yes each episode has one or something is that sometimes something you wish for might not be all that great.  I really like that Carver at the first time he was tpld to make fun of his friends he didn't want to instead of doing it then maybe asking forgiveness later like this plot could have gone.  It does show how great this group's friendship bond is with each other.    It was pretty entertaining episode as well and there are some good jokes in this one.  So this opne I give 7.5/10. 

         More after the Jump 

Weekendering: The Weekenders : Season 1 :Crush Test Dummies/ Grow up.

The Weekenders Disney 

        As mentioned when I talked about Disney's One Saturday Morning , and Disney' One Too on UPN there was program called "The Weekenders". "The Weekenders" is a slice of life/comedy from 2000 that ran on both the ABC and UPN blocks. 
 
    The basic premise of the show  is about the weekend (Friday after school, Saturday, Sunday) adventures  of four middle schoolers named Tino Tonitini,  Lor McQuarrie, Carver Descartes, and Tish Katsufrakis as friends who deal with life but on the weekend. 

  It rain for 4 seasons with 39 episodes, and this month (June 2019) we will be looking at the entirety  of season 1.  And Yes, this is one of those I really like this show series of posts that I want to do for that reason.

   Episode 1a  :Crush Test Dummies 
       
                The main idea of this episode is misunderstandings.  In this episode Lor has a crush on a boy named Thompson ( I don't know if that's his first name, last name, or some sort of Cher thing going on there) and shew wants him to notice her.  Tish suggests a love poem and a make over which leads into Lor  thinking about asking their friend Carver for fashion advice since he knows fashion. This causes him to overhear something out of context and thinks the Lor has a crush on him.  Carver is worried because he doesn't like her like that and doesn't want everyone's friendships and weekends messed up.

      One of the best characters in this series you will find is Tino's mother she is the person he ends up going to for advice in episodes. She also has this running gag where she makes the strangest foods that ever exist.  Her advice is for Carver to tell Lor how he feels but Tino shoots this down because "guys don't that".  He does end up passing the advice on to Carver anyway.  Carver shoots it down and thinks they have to find someone else to replace Lor. (Makes sense)

          Meanwhile, Tish's mother is not the best at make overs and Tish picks out the same thing she's wearing for Lor. Evenutally, Thompson talks to Lor and tells her she's a good soccer player.   Tino's mom' s outburst at Carver was funny, and Tino tells Carver maybe they should talk to Lor since not having her as a friend wouldn't be a good change.


       Carver starts telling Lor how he feels but, she is confused about what he is even talking about.  He finds out that she's not in love with him.  Tino finishes out the episode as customary in this series he starts and ends the episodes talking to us the viewers. 
   
           It's a misunderstanding episode that could have been solved by Carver doing what Tino's mom suggested in the first place. I think the comedy in the episode while sparse is fun.  It's a good message for people, even males, to talk about how they feel and  that it' s better for a friendship to do so.

           Since this was the first episode it does feel like a first episode of a show getting it's barrings but it's not a bad one in the slightest.  I also like the interactions between Tino and his mom because it feels slightly more realistic than alot of media, even at the time, did and it's really nice touch.  I give it 7/10.


   After the Jump  more !

DCOM's :You Wish!

Disney Channel The Flashback 

          If you remember "Even Stevens" the Disney Channel Original series from the early 2000's you'll remember  A.J. Trauth who played Louis' (Shia LaBeouf) friend, Twitty.  Disney Channel give him a starring role in an Original Movie based off a 1991 book called "If I Had One Wish". This movie from January of 2003 is called "You Wish".    He's not the only Disney Channel star in this movie either more on that soon.

               The premise of this movie is that our main Character named Alex Lansing (A.J Trauth) is annoyed by his younger brother Stevie.  Stevie for note is played by Spencer Breslin who was part of Disney projects in the past few years in that time span including being in "Santa Clause 2" (Santa Clause 2: the Disney cash grab, nothing against him though). That annoyance leads him to not want him to exist.    This movie also stars, if you watched "Lizzie McGuire", the other hit Disney Channel series, you know her from that- Lalaine, who played Miranda on that show.

          It starts with war! Hold on it's a slime war, so it's a war on clothes.  Then there's a pet adoption day and Alex wants a dog and Stevie wants a turkey, which they got. (Because the parents are insane people) Some jocks make fun of Alex having a turkey because jocks in a move. Then the jocks waste a pizza by slamming on Alex because they're jocks in a movie.  Now there's narration from Alex. (You can't just enter like that? What are you doing?)

 Wasting Pizza, darn jocks/ Copyright Disney 

              Alex talks about how his brother messes up his life over time because he always takes center stage. Alex has a plot device  for this movie, his coin collection. He tells Stevie leave his stuff alone and bars him from the room for 2 weeks. (We also need a plot catalyst wonder what that will be?) He does relent and let's the boy watch a movie with him. Seems like a happy ending, well movie over. Oh wait no.

Brother Bonding but I got shot at a random time so it looks like this / Copyright Disney 

          This part of the movie is setting up how much Alex gets annoyed by his brother  and that his life isn't perfect because yeah. Also in this movie is Tim Reid as Larry  the coin shop owner, who gets saved by Stevie from falling down.  He gives the movie our plot device, a good for one wish.  Stevi leaves a bench that Alex had him stay and after a search and Stevie asks a guard for help, Alex gets punished. Alex is not happy and Stevie tries to make it up to him by giving him the wish coin.

This man had a magic coin and just gave it away/ Copyright Disney 

        Alex makes a  wish that he didn't have a brother kind of in a off handed way and goes to sleep.  The next morning Alex finds out that he has an alarm clock, and there' that dog he wanted.  His room is different too even trophies. (well then)  The house is completely different  oh, there's no Stevie , well kind of, his brother is now some boy named Terrence Russell McCormack who plays on a TV show called "Where's Stevie" (He did wish that he didn't have a brother, not that Stevie never existed.)  Also, there's this drawn out sequence that goes around for too long it gets annoying.

His parents also are in the X-Files in this universe/  Copyright Disney

       This movie also mentions a Dodge Viper, so there's that.  At school, he's a star jock and the head cheerleader is his girlfriend because movie.  Meanwhile his friends from before like Abby (Lalaine) aren't his friends anymore because of course.   Things are going well but he seems to miss his things. Also, jocks waste more pizza.

WHY DO THEY WASTE SO MUCH PIZZA?/ Copyright Disney 

     Since of alot of this movie is montages or not heavy in events I'm going to talk a little about the music. It has some early 2000's hit songs  in it like during one of the montages it has "World of Our Own"  by Westlife. "Life is Good" by Junk. I do find it interesting again, that these early Disney Channel movies do have more popular songs in them and not pulling from their own resources like later movies end up doing. 


     Anyway, Alex starts talking to Abby and he starts missing his brother.  He has now decided that he wants his  brother back. So of course, the logical thing to do is find the 10-year-old actor to help him? (You know instead of trying make another wish)  Alex for some reason thought that the boy would know who he was, like he apparently forgot how the wish worked.  He does find out that Terrance/Stevie is unhappy with his life.  Also, we have the song "A Thousand Miles"by Vanessa Carlton used as he remembers the good times he had with Stevie plus some scenes reused from the movie.

He's not pushing that van or is he?/Copyright Disney 

        Terrance/Stevie decides to hang out with Alex for the afternoon. Alex finally does some math in his head and has figures out that he has to get the coin from earlier back, but since Stevie didn't save Larry (Tim Reid) they have to find him.  He goes to Abby to get  Larry's address from a raffle ticket. Abby starts to believe his story  because he knows things about her that she hasn't told anybody in this parallel time.   They go looking for  Larry.   I like the scenes in this movie when they go looking for him it has some sweet moments and really is touching.  Sadly, Larry doesn't have the coin anymore he sold it to dealer with a bunch of other coins.


                 He apparently had the coin in his room so, he makes a wish and things are back to normal.

      I sound like  I rushed it but really he pretty much goes home after the agent takes Stevie back to his days  and sits in his room depressed and flings a box of coins and ends up finding the coin.

         I think it was alright movie that has it's basic message of "be careful what you wish for" or it  might just happen and you might not want it to. It's pacing does feel dragged out to the point where it feels like they forgot they only had 80-something minutes and spend up the ending to get everything back to normal but our main character learning his lesson.  It's basic movie but I don't think it's awful but it isn't one of their best either it's middle of the range .

   Tune in next time after you wish for a better blog , that's mean I'm hurt.
     

The Flashback : The Other Music Channel

The Lookback 

     Ted Turner was on somewhat of a golden touch streak with WTBS Atlanta being made into one of the first cable channels, showing that basic cable channels were just former non affiliated stations 4.without the FCC lisence. He later started the first cable news network, called Cable News Network and a second one called Headline news. Our story takes us to 1984. 

    MTV (or Music Television) had launched in 1981 and had taken the television cable world by storm.  For every i-pod there was the Zune so for MTV there was going to be a competitor.  It's not like others didn't start jumping into the compete with MTV game in the first place  You had TNN : The Nashville Network (now co-owned with MTV as the Paramount Network)  which was the country music television network not to be confused with CMT the Country Music Television network. Which like TNN launched in 1983, and is now also co-owned with MTV.  

   Ted Turner wanted the big prize, to compete with MTV head on like two top-40 stations on the FM dial fighting for supremacy even they both lose to the AC station but that's not important.  So this enters the Cable Music Channel or CMC for shot.  Cable Music Channel was not going to be like MTV completely.      

        CMC was going to have the Disc Jockeys not be video Jockeys meaning you won't be seeing them on the air, they were going to do that thing you hear on the radio, more music less talk. Also less commercials than MTV.  They were also going to have artists that aren't featured on MTV like Dolly Parton and Diana Ross.  MTV networks did get a little nervous and they announced the launch of VH1 which was like AC radio on TV for 1985.  Turner was also trying to get around the powerful exclusivity that MTV had gained at the time with music videos.  

 ( our source :https://www.nytimes.com/1984/10/25/arts/turner-s-cable-music-channel-starts-tomorrow.html )

           MTV did have people who didn't like it for it's content and Mr.Turner had their back he wanted CMC to be more "wholesome" compared to MTV.  MTV was pretty tame back then mostly they had strict guidelines too but whatever makes CMC look it works.   He said they were not going to excessively violent, woman degrading stuff that MTV airs.

             So Cable Music Channel launched on October 26th 1984 , remember that date there will be quiz.  After Ted Turner hid the big red button the channel started.   It had computer generated graphic design that was probably very innovative in its day but doesn't look amazing today because we have better tech or something.  It also had two DJ introduce the channel over the graphics (again out of vision)    Their first music video was Randy Newman's "I love LA", the channel was based in LA not in Ted Turner's Atlanta.  Then they aired Olympia from Sergio Mendes.

     The first commercial was from Double mint gum.

           It was basic music channel.   CMC died. I mean died quickly, it's final broadcast date was November  30th 1984.  Now it wasn't because it had no viewers. Some Cable Companies didn't want to or couldn't air it, MTV had a lot of exclusives that CMC couldn't access. It's not like radio stations with the same format in the same market able to air the same artists at all.  So it was sold to Warner-Amex who owned MTV.   The space was used to help launch VH1, the channel Warner was planning to use to compete against CMC.  Also, ironic that all of Ted's channels would end up being owned by Warner in 1996.

      With that life span it's hard to predict if CMC would have been the MTV killer at least on par with it. It's seemed like a good idea that just didn't have the money for it to be well. We might have had people who would have CMC people and others being MTV people. It's hard to tell.


  That ends this post, yeah there's big story there's no fall apart, there's no MTV and Ted Turner going to court it just a short lived network that existed. 

 That's our look back, tune in next time when we launch our own music channel , then lose money because it's not 1984 anymore.

Jacob Two-Two Meets The Hooded Fang (1978)

JoshuaOnline Canada  The Flashback 

           Jacob Two-Two is an interesting book series about a young boy named Jacob, nicknamed Jacob Two-Two because as the youngest member in a family with 5 kids he tends to need to repeat himself for people to pay attention to him.



  Jacob Two-Two is an interesting book series about a young boy named Jacob, nicknamed Jacob Two-Two because as the youngest member in a family with 5 kids he tends to need to repeat himself for people to pay attention to him.



        The series started in 1975, written by  Mordecai Richler, the first book is called "Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang" the names of kids in the family in the story are of his real-life kids. In order, Daniel,  Marfa (his daughter's real name is Martha so, the only name change), Noah, Emma, and Jacob. The book was a best-seller and this of course meant that it didn't take long for this first book to make it to the movie world and I mean the cinema, not a television movie.

             



   The series started in 1975, Ok fine that joke would be much for you to read and for me to write because I didn't copy and paste, so yeah.  Let's take a look at this movie from 1978.

 

       It starts with Jacob trying to do something and it jumps to Marfa watching some wrestling and her telling him that wrestling will scare him because of he so young and the other siblings and his mother say he's too young and goes on.  Jacob requests to do an errand and his father seems receptive to this and lets him go get some ice cream for after dinner.  Oh, this starts the credit sequence and the theme music which is uhh interesting.

      Jacob is now at the store where the shop keeper doesn't like that Jacob repeating himself as his normal prerogative.  He thinks Jacob should be arrested and this causes the boy to run the cop tries to call him back saying he was only teasing him but Two-Two is long gone.   Jacob hides in some fallen leaves and falls asleep in them because running is tiring.   Then he imagines that he is in prison. (This town also executes their litterers)
                                 

Not saying sorry, that's automatic life sentence

         He also has a lawyer in the dream named Mr.Loser. (Uhhhh, that's not a winning name) That's right this is Canadian court so, Jacob is going down.  I do love off the all imaginative scenes and this one is that. It shows what Jacob's view of the world is at his young age. He dreams that his  brother and sister and their group child power come and try to help, but he ends up in still sentenced to 2 years, 2 months, 2 weeks, 2 days, 2 hours, and 2 minutes to prison. (What?) Child Power! gives him a jewel to find child cruelty in the children's prison to  help him out. (Canada's legal system is weird.)  Jacob is now transported to the children's prison by a couple named Mistress Fowl and Master Fish. (Uhh sure) They take an escalator to the prison (waht?) while telling him scary stories on the way to 1970's  groovy prison or an old Doctor Who set.  Finally, they make to Children Prison Island. (The Fantasy Island spin-off you didn't know you wanted)
               

Pictured: LA in 1975

           Finally, they make to Child Prison Island. (This line is still as strange as my writing, Alf goes to a strip club, but it's cutting it close)  Now Jacob meets the Hooded Fang. (roll credits?  The Hooded Fang also gets a song, yes this movie has a bunch of little songs in it.  H.F says he hates kids because when he was a wrestler everyone feared him but then a kid said he was funny and now people didn't feel fear anymore.  Jacob says he feels bad because he feels that he's a nice man. Uhh not helping your case, Jacob.
           

You're not Batman! 

        The child prison has some examples of child cruelty already, like threatening to feed children to  snakes for  a stomach ache. Also some green things start slumping through because it's that kind of movie. They also give children rotten apples.  Jacob is ending up with the harden criminals in the maximum security section. (Oooh my) They give him dinner of water and stale bread. Jacob finds a note that says "You have a friend" and they also left candy.


       Jacob goes to sleep. Another song because yes. A man in a fur coat wakes him up he's Mr.Fox , a guard. (He doubles as a pimp.)   Then he tells Jacob that he has to get a uniform but first take a shower which is in the freezer  what am I watching?  Also Fantastic Mr.Fox finds the jewel and takes it thinking it's well a jewel (fits his fur coat)  There's a party and Jacob meets all the other prisioners who are gray because the smog outside blocks out the sun. (Gray-t)

Uhhh help! 

     The Hooded Fang shows up  they are there to honor Mr.Fox for his Rotten to Children Award. (Watch them live on FOX every June) Mr.Fox is leaving to the city with the jewel and that means the tracker in the jewel will not let Child Power! find the prison. Meanwhile, Child Power! are having a hard time finding the jewel but now because Mr. Fox network is in the city sabotaging toys (why not?).  They figure out that it's not Jacob they leave dejected and they think he drowned. (This movie is dark.)  Meanwhile not drowned Jacob has to work making smog. (So he's going to drive a 1976  AMC pacer)  Jacob still wonders who the person giving him candy is as well.

Oh gray-t

        Meanwhile, the Hooded Fang complains to his mother that Jacob is getting to him, he thinks to break Jacob's spirit by making Jacob say a different number than 2. Oh, and Jacob is getting grayer.  Hooded's attempts don't work and Jacob tries to convert him to two-two ism. (a new religion has been created)  Fang says he's going to feed Jacob to two sharks. (over kill)  Jacob decides to create a way to escape. Jacob decides to write a letter to Child Power!

Dear Child Power! this gray disguise won't confuse the sharks

             

     Fang gives Jacob is last meal before he is fed the sharks. He tries to get Jacob to scream once but Jacob says he knows that the fang isn't horrible and mean.  Jacob also says he figured out that it was Fang who's been giving candy to him.  Jacob says that he will hug and kiss the fang unless he makes a deal. (This movie has taken a different unexpected turn)  The deal is to give the letter he wrote to Child Power!  At first, Hooded says no but then Jacob hugs and kisses him causing him to agree.

I see. 

    Child Power! Got the letter and looks for Mr. Fox (Sports) and something happens.

 This is how you capture a fox

     Whatever that was they do defeat him and  he agrees to help them find the island , where they will poison the crocodiles. (PETA hates this movie)   Mr. Fox tries to taunt Child Power ! while, Jacob starts helping the other prisioners escape.  Also, slimeball canons , and I think Mr.Fox is dead. (this movie has a high kill count) Then the kids help the sun show up  and all the prison workers but Fang are blinded and the green monster things die. (Again, this movie kills alot) Child Power! finds out that he did great work.  Also Jacob has only been saying things once because people are listening to him now.  Hooded Fang is reformed and oh yeah it was a dream.  Jacob wakes up his family had found him (they must have a tracker on him)  and they walk away happy.

Share a Coke together

 
     Fun fact, Emma/The Intrepid Shapiro was played by Richler's real daughter, Marfa (not the daughter she is named after).

              It's not best acted movie and it's a little strange but I can't say it wasn't enjoyable to me. It's so over the top because of the dream that it fits and really makes it a fun and entertaining movie. It was nothing of what I was expecting and I barely knew what I was expecting in the first place. Some of the strange things were like the songs they were at least short where they individually weren't annoying but could get annoying on how many of them were but, it's not a musical in the sense where the characters are breaking out  in song just kind of background song to fit the scene.

      The Jacob actor is alright, but I have to say he makes it feel more genuine take what that means in your own mind.  I'm not going to compare it to the book it's based off of, since that's not usually what I do anyway. I love how the actors ham it up in this movie ,and it's slightly dark edge is amazing really it's pretty much a prison movie but with kids with some tweaks.  I think you should check this movie out if you have an hour and 20 minutes and want ot watch something a little old and strange. 


 Anyway, Jacob Two-Two appeared in a few more books, this movie also got remade in the 90's and in the 2000's an animated cartoon  that ran on YTV in Canda, first aired in the US on Telemundo in Spanish then when Ion Media and NBC Universal made a television block called Qubo it appeared on NBC  and I (later Ion Television)  and ;ater on the Qubo television channel.


      That's our lookback tune in next time when, we wonder if this movie was actually our dream and this blog post doesn't actually exist. This blog post doesn't actually exist.

The poster is kind of cool though. 

There's a bonus after the jump

Scooby Doo 50: Scooby Goes Hollywood

Scooby Doo 50

       
           I really never heard of this Scooby Doo movie, it just kind up popped up in my research looking for another piece of Scooby Doo media for our Scooby Doo 50th anniversary posts.  So this time we look at 1979 TV film that aired on ABC called "Scooby Goes Hollywood"  This is the first Scooby Doo movie special at least with them by themselves. 

        It starts with a crow cawing on a grave because of course and Shaggy and Scooby running around some spooky place because of course.  Now there's a giant crab creature chasing them (Get the butter) but that was all a movie scene.  Apparently, the Mystery inc. gang are working on a movie called  "The Crabby Creature of Creepy Crag."   Shaggy is tired of the this boring routine and he sings (what am I watching?).

Coming soon to Fox/ Copyright Warner Brothers 

               Shaggy drives to OTV (our favorite television network) to talk to the network president and everyone knows Scooby apparently apparently everyone likes his show. (Wait what?) They talk to C.J the network president to get Scooby a better job.  They show him a film they made called "How Scooby Won the West" (he beat the Dodgers?) it shows Scooby as a sheriff. (I'd watch)  C.J is not impressed and kicks them out.(This is 1979 , should have gone to NBC, they were picking up anything)
                         

Coming soon to CBS/ Copyright Warner Bros.

            Scooby Doo announces that he leaving the show to the Mystery Inc. gang  they plead that he shouldn't stop because he wants to be a star , but he already is they tell him. Shaggy says Scooby wants to be a serious star. (yep)  So now they are making a film called  Lavonne and Scooby starting a woman named Lavonne and of course, Scooby. (I wonder what this was referencing) This filming doesn't go to well.

When Shirley left, things got weird/ Copyright WB

        They made another film called "Scooby Days" (Gee, I wonder what they are talking about) in this they meet the fake Fonz.  It's as weird as it should be.  The Scoob dances with The Groove (the fake Fonz) and yeah sure that's a thing. C.J doesn't like this one either. He suggests Scooby go back ot his old show but they give him a contract to look over instead as they walk out.

I'm confused, which is which? copyright/ WB 

      Now Scooby goes and mingle with celebrities. This doesn't go well because Scooby is still Scooby.  He gets barred from that restaurant. They try this plan again at a hotel and what to do you think? Fred, Daphne and Velma remember when they met Scooby Doo (forgetting the Scooby is Shaggy's dog or something). They do other memories like a birthday party.  They sing a song where they miss Scooby (using stock footage).  They want him back.


      Scooby imagines  that's a movie star and did a movie called "Super Scooby" (like Superman) , then does "The Sound of Scooby" I wonder what they are parodying?

No context needed/ Copyright WB

       Meanwhile, C.J is holding auditions to replace Scooby  on his show. (So this is the origin of  Scrappy?) The plan was to convince them to come back to the show instead it just made them do more weird pilots.  One of them is a parody of Sonny and Cher.  The other is of the Love Boat. They visit their version of Johnny Carson to talk about their new roles. Kids all around the world say "Scooby Doo Where are you?"

They really like Dynomutt/ Copyright WB 

     Scooby's Angels, the parody you didn't ask for.   CJ says he thinks Scooby should go back to his Saturday Morning cartoon series ( what they are cartoons? my head hurts) he shows them everyone yelling they need Scooby doo.  Scooby agrees to return to his whole show.  Shaggy has pilot ideas too but, he gets thrown out and chases the gang. The end.

    Ironically, this special has nothing to do with the normal Scooby Doo conventions in the first place. This is a very strange special but somewhat fun to see Scooby trying all these parody shows yet being very comedic.  If I was to over theorize this special cold be saying to viewers back then that Scooby is prefect the way it is so we don't need to change it. Or they were saying that Velma,Fred, and Daphne were irrelevant  because they barely in this special of any use.   They already did make around the sametime the Scooby and Scrappy show  and the next series that came out in 1980 dropped everyone that wasn't scooby, Shaggy, or Scrappy.

             Is this special great? No, not really but it is it fun to watch? Yeah it was. I think it should be watched at least once to see it's madness.

  That's our lookback tune in next time when Scooby Doo does get a serious role on "Law and Order: SVU" DUN DUN.

It's a Lookback Charlie Brown :Life is a Circus, Charlie Brown

Peanuts 

           Sadly, we are nearing the end of our Peanuts non holiday special look back journey after this special we cover , we have only 2 left.  (Don't worry we will find other things to do with peanuts content) .  We did have 3 left with 2 left in in the 80's and 1 left for the 1990's and this lookback takes us back to the 1980's.  1980 to be exact. (Can't get more 80's than that!)

          From October of 1980, the 20th animated Peanuts special  that aired on CBS (if we don't say that it aired on CBS this blog will no longer cease to exist.)      "Life is a Circus,Charlie Brown" is our lookback today. We in for treat this special, it won an Emmy!

     
           
    Snoopy hears some circus music and that means that circus is in town. (Either that or it's time for a presidential election) Snoopy also harasses some of the animals and sees a poodle and falls head over heels for her because all dogs like poodles.  (This won't be the first Snoopy falls for a poodle)  Then Snoppy gets dognapped a girl just grabs him then the intro starts.  Also, I hope you like over 2 minutes of circus music because that's how this special begins.

      Peppermint Patty tells Charlie Brown that the circus is in town and they've closed her school so kids can see it. (Now, that's how school should work!)  Charlie Brown also says his school closed for circus.  That does seem kind of silly when the story could have been summer, or spring break, or a weekend, but  it does sound pretty cool that schools would close for circus' arrival. I think Peppermint Patty and Charlie Brown are dating now. (We aren't being serious)

awww young love/ Copyright Peanuts 

      We also find out that Peppermint Patty likes popcorn on her cotton candy. (What?)  Never mind.  A girl named Polly was the one that abducted Snoopy and dressed him up to perform in a poodle show at the circus.  Peppermint Patty is the one the figures out that the dog is Snoopy. (Irony)  Everyone else is stunned that Snoopy is there.

Are you sure that's Snoopy? That looks nothing like him/ Copyright Peanuts 

        Charlie Brown is unhappy about Snoopy being there, while the rest thing it's great  because they don't  understand that Snoopy was abducted.  Also Charlie Brown has delusions that Snoopy guards his house.  Anyway, Snoopy gets trained by Polly to perform at the circus. He's now called Hugo (part of Hugo the Great.) Charlie Brown notices that Snoopy isn't home for dinner and finds him at the circus being taken away.  Snoopy finds that circus life isn't  luxurious as it seems when he has a  hard time sleeping on the circus train.

It's hump day/ Copyright Peanuts

            Hugo goes through more training. (Don't look at like that)  Charlie Brown is depressed , well more than normal, about Snoopy not being there. Linus is of no help to Charlie Brown's emotions. Hugo on the other hand, has become great and beloved by all who come and see him.  Things seem to be going well for ole' Snoop. Meanwhile, Charlie Brown is still depressed. He gives an origin story to Linus on how he got Snoopy.

It was a Tuesday I think / Copyright Peanuts 

   Lucy waltzes on Charlie Brown's property and decides to shutdown Snoopy's house by boarding up the front.  Charlie Brown just stands there instead of telling Lucy to get off his lawn or he's going ot call the cops!   More circus, circus stuff.  The Colonel who owns the circus wants Snoopy  and Fifi, tthat's the girl dog Snoopy fell in love with, to be dye them both pink. What the heck! Polly dumps Snoopy into the pink food color mixture. When it was Fifi's turn Snoopy jumps infront of her and starts mauling Polly. (exaggeration) He does get her to foll into the pink stuff and they run away.

She was pink with sadness/ Copyright Peanuts 

                 Fifi doesn't want to leave the circus life so, she returns and they break up.  Snoopy returns on home to Chuck.


                    It as up against "It' s Magic , Charlie Brown" for the Emmy for Outstanding Animation Award 1981 in primetime.  I think that was a better special than this one that doesn't mean that this one is bad.  It does make it look at first that Snoopy was unwillingly brought into the circus but he seems to also be staying for Fifi so it's confusing.   Charlie Brown missing Snoopy is sweet and you really see that he needs the beagle in his life.  It is a fairly entertaining special though, and there's nothing in it that bored me or didn't find fun. It actually felt kind of short even though it was the standard length.  Do,check it out though.

     That's our lookback, Tune in next time when we go the circus and dip people in orange food coloring.